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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pop — soda
  5. suit — to fit
  6. tear — from crying
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. field — for sport
  12. club — a group
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tear — from crying
  15. field — a subject
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. field — farmland
  18. fine — all right
  19. pop — music
  20. club — for golf
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. pop — to visit
  24. tear — to rip

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com